Betts brings home American League MVP award

Thursday

The Red Sox outfielder set records by the handful this season, and the ultimate individual reward will now take its place on his mantle.

Betts was the runaway winner of the American League Most Valuable Player award, with the results of this year’s voting announced Thursday night. The 26-year-old bested fellow finalists Mike Trout and Jose Ramirez by a healthy margin, denying the Angels’ outfielder [...]

There was one final first to come for Mookie Betts in 2018.

The Red Sox outfielder set records by the handful this season, and the ultimate individual reward will now take its place on his mantle.

Betts was the runaway winner of the American League Most Valuable Player award, with the results of this year’s voting announced Thursday night. The 26-year-old bested fellow finalists Mike Trout and Jose Ramirez by a healthy margin, denying the Angels’ outfielder his third MVP trophy and the Indians’ infielder his first.

Betts finished runner-up to Trout in 2016 and sixth last season. He captured 28 of 30 first-place votes, relegating Trout to the second spot for the fourth time. Ramirez has now finished third in consecutive years and J.D. Martinez closed fourth, with the Boston slugger claiming a solo first-place vote along with Trout.

“Obviously, I really wanted to win (in 2016),” Betts said. “Being in this spot, you never know if you’ll ever make it back. It’s been everything I imagined and more.”

Betts becomes just the 11th Red Sox player to capture the award, with Tris Speaker first doing the honors in 1912. Only Ted Williams (1946, 1949) has won twice. Dustin Pedroia (2008) was the last Boston player to take home the honor, and Mo Vaughn (1995) is the only other member of the Red Sox to win the award over the last 32 years.

Betts was sensational while helping lead Boston to a franchise-record 108 wins in the regular season and a ninth Fall Classic crown in club history. According to FanGraphs, Betts topped the A.L. in Wins Above Replacement (10.4) and was best among outfielders in defensive runs saved. He was first in batting average (.346), slugging percentage (.640), extra-base hits (84) and – despite appearing in 22 fewer games – tied Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor for first in runs scored with 129.

“How the whole year kind of played out, it was just a lot of things that went right,” Betts said. “J.D. and (manager Alex Cora) coming over, it made things a little easier on me. They kind of gave me a new perspective on the game and how to go about taking care of business.”

Betts set new career highs in homers (32), doubles (47), runs, walks (81), stolen bases (30), on-base percentage (.438), slugging and OPS (1.078). He’s the only player in Major League Baseball history with at least 40 doubles and 20 homers in as many as four straight seasons and joined Jacoby Ellsbury (2011) as just the second Red Sox player to total at least 30 home runs and 30 steals in a single season. Betts also took home a third straight Gold Glove for his play in right field, became the seventh Boston player to make as many as three straight starts in the All-Star Game and was the 21st member of the Red Sox to hit for the cycle in a game.

“I’m a hard worker,” Betts said. “I want to be the best to ever play right field. My drive is going to put me in that spot to be the best.”

Betts owns something approaching his own chapter of the Boston record book after just his fourth full season. His four games with three home runs are the most in club history, and he also leads in career home runs from the leadoff spot, multi-homer games from the leadoff spot and home runs leading off a game. Betts became the youngest Red Sox player to reach 100 career homers and 100 career stolen bases, and he’s the only Red Sox hitter to record at least three extra-base hits in consecutive four-hit games.

“It’s definitely one of the best organizations in baseball,” Betts said. “I couldn’t ask to be a part of a more historic organization with the fan base the way they are. It’s been amazing.”

Betts also shares a chapter of Boston history with Williams, widely considered among the premier hitters in the game’s history. Betts and Williams are the only two Red Sox players with at least 30 homers, five triples and 40 doubles in a season, and both men have done it twice. They’re the only two Boston players to record three 100-run seasons before turning 26.

Betts has never been better in terms of plate discipline, a quality that paid great dividends this season. He swung at a career-low 19.8 percent of pitches he saw outside the strike zone and walked in a career-best 13.2 percent of his plate appearances. Among the top 35 home run hitters in the A.L., Betts was one of just five players to strike out less than 100 times.

“I was just able to battle every pitch,” Betts said. “I guess when I get two strikes I focus a little more – I’m not exactly sure.”

Betts was awarded $10.5 million in salary arbitration prior to the 2018 season and remains under team control for at least two more years. He is arbitration eligible in 2019 and 2020 before hitting free agency for the first time. Should the Red Sox and Betts fail to reach a contract agreement prior to arbitration hearings in February, Betts is likely to be awarded a salary approaching $20 million for next season.

“Right now I’m just focused on the 2019 season coming up,” Betts said. “It’s a great organization. I love being a part of it.”

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On Twitter: @BillKoch25

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